For a captioned and video version or to access the transcript and ask a question for our experts about this podcast episode, please visit: https://www.pharmaron.com/knowledge-center/dmpk-insights-16-metabolism-studies/#cprtstatus=_cp_0!channel!AAIDoxPJjQQe

In this special episode of the Pharmaron DMPK Insights Podcast Series, our experts explore the critical role of metabolism studies in agrochemical research. The discussion focuses on metabolite identification and its importance in determining the environmental fate of agrochemicals and the metabolic pathways they undergo. By examining both the scientific foundations and practical applications, this episode highlights how metabolism studies support regulatory decision-making and environmental safety assessments.

We will address the following points:​ 

• Challenges within Environmental Metabolism
  • Requirements for identification within regulatory studies
  • Challenges, e.g. application rate, volatility, matrices
  • Methods for secondary confirmation
  • Tools to aid metabolite identification
• High-Resolution LC-MS in Practice
  • High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) instrumentation
  • Analytical challenges in agrochemical metabolism studies
  • Use of stable isotopes
  • Real-world case studies in metabolism studies

Our Speakers:

Mark Simmonds – Team Leader, Environmental Metabolism at Pharmaron

Mark is the Team Leader for Environmental Metabolism at Pharmaron with more than 24 years’ experience working in the CRO industry, with the last ~4 years working in the Environmental Metabolism group at Pharmaron. He graduated with a degree in Chemistry from the University of Greenwich in 1995 studying for seven years whilst working for Rhône-Poulenc Agriculture – later becoming Aventis CropScience.  In 2001, after the sale of the crop science division to Bayer, Battelle UK was formed, a CRO performing environmental fate, plant metabolism and residue studies and as an active study director, Mark took up the position of Researcher and remained in the environmental fate and plant metabolism arena for the next 20 years.  In January 2021, Mark moved to Pharmaron as Environmental Metabolism Team Leader, overseeing the delivery of environmental fate, plant and livestock metabolism studies to our agrochemical clients and environmental risk assessments to our pharma clients.

Dylan Williams – Team Leader, Metabolite Identification at Pharmaron

Dylan is a Team Leader in Metabolite Identification at Pharmaron with more than 22 years’ experience working in the pharmaceutical CRO industry.  He received his Ph.D. in Chemistry (specifically mass spectrometry) under Dr Rod Mason’s supervision at the University College of Wales, Swansea in 2002.  Following his Ph.D, Dylan began his career with the regulated bioanalysis group at Biodynamics (now Pharmaron UK) before moving to the Pharmaron UK Metabolism department in 2004 where he joined the fledgling Metabolite Identification Team.  In 2017, Dylan became the Team Leader for the Metabolite Identification Team and now leads a large, highly-experienced team, using accurate mass LC-MS to solve some of the most interesting scientific challenges for our clients.

Stay tuned for more podcasts in our Pharmaron DMPK Insights Series!